When working with restaking rewards, the extra earnings you earn by re‑using already staked assets in additional protocols. Also known as restake incentives, they let you layer yield on top of original staking income.
Restaking rewards encompass liquid staking, a method that issues tradable tokens representing staked assets. By converting staked tokens into liquid equivalents, you can feed them into other yield‑generating services without unbonding. This approach requires validator participation, the role of network nodes that secure a blockchain and earn base staking rewards. When validators perform their duties, the underlying protocol continues to pay its native rewards, while the liquid token you hold can be redeployed in DeFi platforms. Those platforms, in turn, influence DeFi yields, the interest or fees earned from lending, borrowing, or providing liquidity. The combination creates a stack of earnings: base staking, liquid‑staking incentives, and additional DeFi yields.
Understanding the tokenomics behind each layer is critical. Most liquid staking projects allocate a portion of the generated fees back to token holders, turning the token into a revenue‑sharing asset. Meanwhile, validator commissions vary by network, so the net restaking reward depends on both the validator’s fee structure and the DeFi protocol’s APR. Because the assets stay bonded at the base layer, they retain the security guarantees of the original network, while the extra rewards come from separate economic models. This hybrid setup lets you maximize capital efficiency without sacrificing safety, and it’s especially appealing in high‑yield environments where every extra percent counts.
In practice, you’ll see restaking rewards highlighted in guides about cross‑chain bridges, yield farms, and emerging protocols that let you stake a token, receive a liquid version, then lock that version into another staking contract. The posts in this collection dive deep into specific tokens, airdrop opportunities, and real‑world examples that illustrate how to set up the flow, assess the risks, and calculate the combined APR. Below you’ll find step‑by‑step breakdowns, risk warnings, and performance snapshots to help you decide whether restaking fits your portfolio strategy.
Learn how restaking works, the dual reward model, slashing penalties, delegation options, risk management, and future trends for DeFi validators.
February 27 2025